Richard Neville: The Story of the Kingmaker
The Earl of Warwick, also known as the Kingmaker, played a crucial role in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars fought in England between the House of Lancaster and the House of York for the throne of England. Warwick was one of the most powerful men in England during the 15th century, and his fate was closely tied to the outcome of the wars.
Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, was born in 1428 to Richard Neville, the 5th Earl of Salisbury, and Alice Montacute. He was raised in a family that was loyal to the House of York, and he inherited his father’s title in 1460. He soon became a leading figure in the Yorkist cause and played a crucial role in the Yorkist victory at the Battle of Towton in 1461, which saw Edward, Earl of March, become King Edward IV.
Warwick became one of Edward’s most trusted advisors and played a key role in the early years of his reign. However, the relationship between the two men soured when Edward married Elizabeth Woodville in 1464, a union that Warwick strongly opposed. He felt that the marriage would undermine his own influence at court and weaken the Yorkist cause. In response, Warwick began to seek alliances with other powerful figures in England, including George, Duke of Clarence, who was Edward’s younger brother.
In 1470, Warwick orchestrated a rebellion against Edward and placed Henry VI back on the throne. However, the restoration of the Lancastrian king was short-lived, as Edward soon regained power and Warwick was forced to flee to France. There, he formed an alliance with Margaret of Anjou, the wife of Henry VI, and returned to England in 1471 with a French army. Warwick and Margaret’s forces were defeated at the Battle of Barnet, and Warwick was killed in the fighting.
The death of the Earl of Warwick marked the end of an era in English history. He had been one of the most powerful men in the country and had played a key role in the Wars of the Roses. Warwick had also been instrumental in bringing Edward IV to power, but his ambition and desire for influence had ultimately led to his downfall. Finally, his death paved the way for Edward’s continued reign and for the eventual ascension of the House of Tudor to the English throne.
In conclusion, the Earl of Warwick, also known as the Kingmaker, was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses. He played a key role in the Yorkist victory at the Battle of Towton and helped to bring Edward IV to power. However, his ambition and desire for influence ultimately led to his downfall, and he was killed in the fighting at the Battle of Barnet. Despite his defeat, Warwick remains a significant figure in English history and is remembered as one of the most powerful men of his time.
The Fate of the Earl of Warwick
The Wars of the Roses was a series of dynastic conflicts that engulfed England from 1455 to 1487. The primary protagonists were two branches of the Plantagenet family, the House of Lancaster, represented by King Henry VI, and the House of York, represented by Edward, Duke of York. The conflict came to an end when the Lancastrian claimant, Henry Tudor, defeated the Yorkist King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
In 1461, six years after the conflict began, Edward IV, the young Duke of York, claimed the throne of England, snatching it away from Henry VI. This plot was masterminded by Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, known as the Kingmaker. Warwick had previously supported Henry VI, but switched sides due to a falling out with the monarch’s wife, Margaret of Anjou.
Under Edward IV’s reign, Warwick became one of the most powerful men in England, holding significant influence over the new king. However, the two men eventually fell out, primarily due to Edward’s decision to marry Elizabeth Woodville, a widow of a Lancastrian knight, without consulting Warwick. The Earl of Warwick, feeling betrayed, then turned to the Lancastrians, hoping to restore Henry VI to the throne and remove Edward IV.
In 1470, Warwick, alongside Henry VI and the Lancastrian army, successfully overthrew Edward IV and placed Henry VI back on the throne. This short-lived restoration was cut short, as Edward IV regrouped, raised an army, and defeated Warwick at the Battle of Barnet in 1471. Warwick died in battle, leaving the Lancastrian cause in disarray.
Overall, the relationship between Edward IV and Warwick soured due to a variety of factors, with the most significant being Edward’s decision to marry Elizabeth Woodville without consulting the Earl of Warwick. The fallout led to Warwick’s support for the Lancastrian cause and his eventual death at the Battle of Barnet, effectively ending the hopes of a Lancastrian restoration.
